In part of its wider push to develop 20MW of power within the free zone, Nigerdock, a Nigerian maritime company operating the largest multipurpose seaport in Lagos has announced the installation of solar power infrastructure at the Lagos port’s Snake Island Integrated Free Zone.
In a statement seen by BusinessDay, Maher Jarmakani, the firm’s CEO said the company has completed the first phase of its shift to renewable energy sources through the installation of solar solutions at Snake Island Integrated Free Zone.
Jarmakani said with the installation, Nigerdock would also reduce CO2 output by about 2,000 metric tons and achieve significant emission reduction targets.
He said, “Current solar operations enable Nigerdock to displace 40 per cent of its daytime energy consumption, reduce CO2 output by about 2,000 metric tons, and achieve significant emission reduction targets.”
“As a self-sustaining economic hub, improving our energy consumption and reducing our carbon footprint is pivotal to our long-term operations and success. Our renewable energy solution will provide us and our growing clientele with consistent power and greater ease to conduct business,” he said.
The solar power expansion is the next step in Nigerdock’s journey towards green port status, the company said.
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A recently released study by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – Renewable Energy Roadmap: Nigeria – points out that an “acceleration of electricity capacity additions, especially distributed solar photovoltaic (PV), in the power sector will be key to unlocking Nigeria’s renewable energy resources.”
The study further states: “Regular outages in the centralised power system combined with frequent natural gas and water shortages for generators mean that system peak power capacity is substantially below the rated capacity of the system.
“This has led to a high reliance on costly distributed oil-based power generation with profound implications for air quality, economic cost of unreliable electricity and expensive backup.” “The TES [Transforming Energy Scenario] shows… how the benefits of Nigeria’s wealth of solar resources can be unlocked.”
Nigerdock said its investment in solar was aligned to the objectives of Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the Blue Economy and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Elsewhere, organisations like the EU-backed PORTOS Project “aims to assess, develop and promote the integrated use of renewable energy resources in Atlantic Area ports and increase their energy efficiency, establishing a roadmap to a more competitive and sustainable sector.”
The project says seaports need high-energy supplies and are a source of air pollution, two environmental problems that can be minimised by using renewable energy. “Considering the convergence of resources, infrastructures and facilities in ports, marine renewable energy arises as a promising alternative.”
